The freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1886-18??, 1887-02-09

chief and coils the hair-spring of
the watch. She waits at the coun-
ter, letting her stalwart brother
develop his muscles by heavier
exercise than doing up parcels of
needles and tape. She keeps the
business books, corresponds with
type writer or pen, is the best of
operators in telegraphy, does the
sharpest and shrewdest work with
the scissors in the Office Of newspa-
pers, sets the type and loans her
common sense to editors for their
best articles. She is trained for
professional nursing of the sick,
combining gentleness with scien-
tifc skill. She has charge of hospi-
tails carries a diploma of real mer-
it as physician; teaches our best
schools; delights US with artistic
handiwork soothes us with song,
interpreting with her voice the
Hottest conceptions of musical COM
posers; writes truest histories and
purest romances and sketches of
travel. Mrs. Browning receives
the homage of poets; Charlotte
Herschell, of astronomers; Mrs.
Lewes, of philosophers; Rosa
Bonheur, of artists. Mrs.
Edwards carries well her
PHI. D. and L. l.. D. We know of
more than one builders daughter
who draws plans and specifications
for her father. Why not put out
her sign as architect, and take pay
for it, as did Sabina Erwin who
com pleted the Strasburg Cathedral ?
Some may not like this publicity
which takes away the vail from
the face which they seem to think
was made for nothing but a palette
to hold bushes on: but | do be-
lieve it is healthful for her to
breathe more freely, even if she in
hales some of the dust Of the outer
world.
The present system--I hope I
can more correctly call it the past
system-which limits her human
privileges under pretense of guard
ing and dignifng her woman's
nature, which makes her veal
turn on her marriage only, has a
heavy Indictment against it. /
will repeat some specifications un-
der that indictment:
1. 1t degrades the ideal of mar
riage by making it the only means
of pecuniary support.
2. 1t units the woman to be the
best of wives, because it leaves her
a dependent upon, rather than the
equal companion of, her husband.
3. 1t tempts uncongenial mar
riages and thereby curses the very
home it assumes to build.
4. 1t weakens the brains of our
girls by filling their heads with
thoughts of beau-catching, when
they ought to be training them
selves to deal with noble and prac-
tical problems of lite.
5. 1t leaves q multitude stranded
in penury, because they have been
unsuccessful FISHERS of men,"
6. It causes untold sorrow in
homes where the husband, through
sickness, incompetence, intemper-
ance, cannot provide for the fam
lily.
7. 1t makes widowhood the
sym Dol of want.
8. 1t is the most fruitful supply
of victims to the terrible social
evil which infests our cities.
What will poor girl do who can
not work and learn a living with
fingers or voice or brain? Better
teach her to pick rags with a cloth
over her mouth in paper-mill, or
cut tobacco in factory, than leave
her helpless.
To sum up all: Let there be no
lam,at to woman's education
Guide it as wisely as you can, but
no limits.
History shows us that when wo-
man is kept within the Elimination
of her SEX" society is cursed. The
Mohammedan go keeps her. Her
face even must not be seen by other
men than her husband; but Prov
idence has avenged the insult by